Cushioning carrier for pneumatic tube systems



June 8, 1965 HONEY I 3,187,88

CUSHIONING CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEMS w Filed Jan. 29. 1964 /9 /4 FIG. I m1,

INVENTOR. ROBERT L. HONEY I BY 7 7 Z6 22 AT TORNEYS United States Patent 3,187,886 CUSHIONING CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEMS Robert L. Honey, 6518 Walker St., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Jan. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 340,873 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-1) My invention relates generally to carriers for pneumatic tube transporting systems and has for its object the pro- Vision of a novel supplementary carrier for fragile articles and which may be totally received within conventional primary article-carriers of this type.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which may be produced at relatively low cost, which is extremely light in weight, and which affords a maximum of protection to fragile articles enclosed therein.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a devicxe of the class above described which is made from components which are relatively simple to assemble and which may be opened and closed in a minimum of time and without danger of damaging the articles being placed therein or removed therefrom.

A further and important object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which, while extremely compact in size, affords a maximum of protection to articles enclosed therein by virtue of the materials from which my novel carrier is formed.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of my novel structure, with the rear cap thereof removed;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation as seen from left to right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in end elevation as seen from right to left, with the rear cap thereof in operative position, portions thereof being broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a view in axial section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view in end elevation as seen from the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 6 is a view in end elevation of the rear cap as seen from left to right of FIG. 4.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings,

the numeral 10 indicates an elongated tubular body formed from flexible resilient foam-like material such as sponge rubber, and the side wall 11 thereof is molded so as to provide relatively smooth, skin-like inner and outer wall surfaces 12, 13, respectively.

Telescopically received over the forward and rear end portions 14, 15, respectively, of the body 10 are preferably identically formed caps 16, 17, the imperforate end walls 16a, 17a of which are centrally depressed as at 16b, 17b, whereby to define respectively, axially extended inwardly opening annular recesses 16c, 170 for the snug reception of the adjacent front and rear end portions 14, 15. Caps 16, 17 are preferably molded from non porous rubber-like material and, as shown, are formed to define axially spaced radially outwardly projecting annular ribs 18 which tend to impart a certain amount of stability to the relatively flexible side walls 19 thereof, and which tend to facilitate removal of the rear cap 17. The forward cap 16 is secured in its closure-forming position by any suitable adhesive, not shown.

By reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, it will be noted that the side wall 11 of the body 10 is slit from its rear end portion to a point approximately centrally thereof, as indicated by the numeral 20. Because of the inherent Patented June 8, 1965 flexibility and resilience of the wall 11, the slit 20 permits a V-shaped gusset or mouth 21 to be readily formed for purposes of inserting articles, not shown, into the interior 22 of the body 10, or alternatively, removal of such articles therefrom, when the rear cap 17 has been removed from the body 10. On the other hand, this month or gusset 21 is readily closable by the operator for telescopic reception of the cap 17 over the rear end portion 15; and said cap 17 will maintain the mouth 21 closed until it is again removed.

To provide a maximum of cushioning effect to articles within the interior 22 of the body 10, I provide a generally cylindrical cushion-like core 23 in the forward end portion 14 of the body 10. Core 23 may be formed from suitable compressible foam material such as polyurethane. Because of the extreme compressibility of such material, it may be found desirable to insert, immediately rearwardly thereof, a pad or wafer of compressible sponge rubber material, such as identified at 24. Obviously, compressible core 23, 24 adequately protects articles from abrupt impact by the forward end 14 of the body 10 due to engagement of the primary carrier, not shown, with stopping abutments or the like. To assure protection to such articles caused by any rebound from the compressible pad 24, I adhesively secure a similar compressible sponge rubber pad 25 to the centrally recessed portion 17b of the rear cap 17. It will be noted that peripheral surface 25a of the pad 25 forms an axial extension of the inwardly opening channels 17c defined by said rear cap 17.

It might here be stated that the pad 23 is likewise preferably secured to the end wall 16a of the forward cap 16 by suitable adhesives, and that core members 23, 24, and 25 are preferably formed with a cross-sectionally multifaced contour, such as an octagon, whereby to provide circumferentially spaced relief areas 26 intermediate the circumferentially spaced points of contact 27. Such an arrangement obviously permits radial expansion, during compression, of the cushion members 23, 24, 25 under extreme conditions.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while I have disclosed a preferred embodiment thereof, same may well be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective enclosure for fragile articles and adapted for reception within a carrier for pneumatic tube transporting systems, said enclosure comprising:

(a) an elongated generally cylindrical tubular body formed from molded rubber-like foam material to provide relatively smooth, skin-like inner and outer surfaces,

(b) a pair of end caps telescopically received over opposite end portions of said body, said caps being molded from non porous rubber-like material, and one thereof being affixed to the forward end of said body and the other thereof being removable from the rear end of said body,

(c) and article cushioning means within said body and adjacent the forward end thereof,

(d) each of said caps being formed adjacent their extreme outer ends to define annular recesses for snug reception of the adjacent opposite end of said body, and in which said rear cap is provided with cushion means which form an axially inward extension of the recess formed thereby,

(e) the side Wall of the body being slit from its rear end portion to a point approximately centrally thereof, said slit forming a V-shaped gusset permit- I) V a ting the insertion and removal of articles therein, 2,945,585 7/60 Whelan 206-46 and 2,971,640 2/61 Smelling 206-46 (f) said tubular body being flexible and resilient. 2,977,014 3/61 Kock 206-46 ,2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the cap $055,495 9/62 Naime 206-46 telescoplcalhf reeeiyed over the rear end of said body 5 I FOREIGN PATENTS maintams said S111; 1n closed condition. 7

1,230,577 4/60 France. References Cited by the Examiner 158,760 2/21 Great Britain. 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 225,154 11/24 Great Britain. 1,968,943 8/34 Hermani 206-46 THERONE. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

2,690,947 10/54 Roehrl 206-46 

1. A PROTECTIVE ENCLOSURE FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES AND ADAPTED FOR RECEPTION WITHIN A CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE TRANSPORTING SYSTEMS, SAID ENCLOSURE COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL TUBULAR BODY FORMED FROM MOLDED RUBBER-LIKE FOAM MATERIAL TO PROVIDE RELATIVELY SMOOTH, SKIN-LIKE INNER AND OUTER SURFACES, (B) A PAIR OF END CAPS TELESCOPICALLY RECEIVED OVER OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID BODY, SAID CAPS BEING MOLDED FROM NON POROUS RUBBER-LIKE MATERIAL, AND ONE THEREOF BEING AFFIXED TO THE FORWARD END OF SAID BODY AND THE OTHER THEREOF REMOVABLE FROM THE REAR END OF SAID BODY, (C) AND ARTICLE CUSHIONING MEANS WITHIN SAID BODY AND ADJACENT THE FORWARD END THEREOF, (D) EACH OF SAID CAPS BEING FORMED ADJACENT THEIR EXTREME OUTER ENDS TO DEFINE ANNULAR RECESSES FOR SNUG RECEPTION OF THE ADJACENT OPPOSITE END OF SAID BODY, AND IN WHICH SAID REAR CAP IS PROVIDED WITH CUSHION MEANS WHICH FORM AN AXIALLY INWARD EXTENSION PF THE RECESS FORMED THEREBY, (E) THE SIDE WALL OF THE BODY BEING SLIT FROM ITS REAR END PORTION TO A POINT APPROXIMATELY CENTRALLY THEREOF, SAID SLIT FORMING A V-SHAPED GUSSET PERMITTING THE INSERTION AND REMOVAL OF ARTICLES THEREIN AND (F) SAID TUBULAR BODY BEING FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT. 